Centre for Science, Technology, and Society Studies

The Centre for Science, Technology, and Society Studies conducts systematic interdisciplinary research into mutual relationships of science, technology, and society. Research is based on the broad theoretical background of philosophy, economy, and sociology (of science and technology), innovation studies, science policy studies, and technology assessment. At present, research is focused on several fundamental thematic areas. The changes in the current forms of knowledge production are followed in the form of theoretical analysis. Those changes comprises higher rate of social accountability of knowledge, more emphasis on its economic application, increasing heterogeneity of its resources, the problem of evaluation, more stress on social and cultural values applied in research programmes. The emerging knowledge society is being analysed from the viewpoint of transformation of science and research.

The Centre for Science, Technology, and Society Studies participates in the project ResInfra@DR (Facilitating macro-regional scope and link up to socio-economic actors od research infrastructure in the Danube Region). The project is co-funded from the Danube Transnational Programme 2017 - 2019 (ERDF - European Regional Development Fund, IPA - Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance).

The main objectives of the ResInfra@DR project (2017-2019) are to enable a dialogue between key actors in the Danube macro-region; support the development of a practical ex- ante evaluation methodology to avoid duplication of investments and allow better synergies of funds; contribute to a monitoring framework for RI; develop a peer-review approach and test the developed guidelines and methodologies in pilot activities to meet the current challenges, and finally to provide practical recommendations for the involved research infrastructures (RI) and their parent organisations.